Free Falling
by TrebleMaker
Summary: All Inuyasha ever wanted was to protect Kagome. He would slay the most dangerous beast to impress her. He would fall from the moon if it meant he could catch her. What Inuyasha doesn't realize is that sometimes a physical fall leads to much more. IK MS
1. Chapter 1

The battle had been raging for close to an hour and the hanyou with amber eyes was wearing thin. His fire rat haori, as well as his silver hair, was soaked through with sweat. He stood poised and faced the demon that had evaded almost every attack so far as well as managed to take away his precious tetsusaiga.

Inuyasha grunted as he dug his nails into his arm and with a small snarl, and a smile that barely exposed the tips of his fangs, he made his move.

"Blades of blood!" he cried as he leapt into the air and arcs of red blades flew at the enraged demon.

With a blood curdling yelp, the demon lost her right arm to Inuyasha's attack and stood dumb founded.

"Ha! That's what you get for taking my sword you old wench," said the hanyou, only audible to himself. Then finally his voice thundered in impatience.

"Kagome, where's the jewel shard?"

The priestess in training concentrated for that familiar tug within her soul and the glint of purple that would become visible shortly there after.

"Kagome!?"

"I'm trying, Inuyasha," she began but couldn't locate it anywhere on the she-demon's body. She inched her way around the she-demon, forcing herself between a rocky ledge and the demon's lost arm in an attempt to gain a different vantage point and discover the whereabouts of the shard embedded in the creature before her, but with no luck.

"What little patience our half demon comrade had is running thin with this long battle, Shippo," drawled the voice of Miroku to his little kitsune companion. With his sacred sutras all but used up, he was left with only his wind tunnel. However, with Inuyasha on one side of the battlefield and Sango riding Kirara's back on the other, there was no chance for him to use his ultimate weapon without sending his friends into an endless void. He gripped the beads around his hand nervously with that thought on his mind.

Finding her footing once again, the she-demon began to laugh, chilling everyone nearby to their very souls. Her green hair swung loosely around where her arm once was and within moments, her fallen limb began to grow back. Another cackle was let loose from between her ruby red lips and her green eyes glittered as she flexed her new hand at the halfling that had lost it for her in the first place.

"You really think you could render me useless so easily?" she snarled with a glint of her fangs shining. "I think not half blood."

"Shut it! I'm not through with you yet…Iron reaver soul-- KAGOME! LOOK OUT!"

"Eh? INUYASHA!"

But it was too late for Kagome. Without warning, the demon had wrapped her forest green hair around the young girl's neck and lifted her into the air, hanging her perilously over the edge of the rocks and into a ravine below.

"I-Inu…Yasha….Help…me…" choked out Kagome. She could feel her world slowly slipping out of focus and she dug her hands into the green hair and squirmed in an effort to free herself when she saw **it**. The jewel shard was embedded in the blackened tree that InuYasha's sword had been buried in at the beginning of the battle.

"Kagome! Hold on, Kagome!"

"Inuyasha…the tree…its…in….the….tree."

With the last bit of oxygen stolen from her lungs and no way to bring it back, Kagome let her world fade to black.

With a flash of heat, Sango landed between Miroku and the she-demon at the far end of the battlefield.

"Sango, shouldn't you be out there assisting Inuyasha?"

"I should, but I'm afraid that my boomerang would be no help. I'm afraid that I would only send Kagome falling to her doom!"

"My lady. What kindness you have in your heart to keep your companion safe!"

It wasn't long there after that there was a loud THWACK and the lecherous monk was left with a red handprint on the side of his face and Sango retreated to safety with Shippo. There was no doubt that the monk had let his hand wander to the demon hunter's rear.

"The tree? Is…Is that where the jewel shard is hiding? I'm going for it!"

He dodged and weaved between the demon's attacks of leaf blades and shots of poison. He lunged at his tetsusaiga and ripped it from the tree's meat and watched in awe as it shuttered from the force.

"Wind scar!"

The tree disintegrated in an instant and with one final ear piercing shriek that nearly paralyzed Inuyasha on the spot, the horrible she-demon exploded into nothing more than a pile of deep green leaves and it wasn't until then that he saw what he had done wrong.

"No. KAGOME!"

She was falling, and fast, into the deep ravine. He couldn't tell exactly how deep it was as the sun was setting and casting an eerie pink glow into the depths of the pit, but he sprinted forward with little more than a flash of red before Miroku and Sango's eyes.

"Inuyasha! Kagome!" yelled Miroku then stopped and surveyed the new peace and silence that had settled around him.

Before he truly understood what was happening, he was plummeting through the air and Kagome was about a hand's length from him. His tetsusaiga remained unsheathed in his right hand, but still transformed to its full power.

"Gotcha!" he cried as he snatched Kagome from midair.

_Kagome, please. Open your eyes. Open your eyes and yell at me. Tell me I'm stupid. Damn it, you can sit me for all I care, so long as I know you're alright!_

He turned, pulling Kagome close to him and dug his tetsusaiga into the rock wall in front of him as well as his feet to slow their descent. He thought he heard a small click and his shin began to burn, but with his demon hearing quickly fading him from the sudden adrenaline rush, he couldn't be sure of anything more than the pain.

_C'mon. C'mon! Work damn it! I can't risk harming her!_

The tetsusaiga ripped through the rock as if it were butter and did little to slow their plunge. Inuyasha looked upward and watched as what little pink was left in the sky darkened to purple.

_C'mon tetsusaiga. I can't afford this tonight. Not with the…_

There was a pulse and InuYasha gasped and watched as a yellow light formed around tetsusaiga and it transformed back to its dull, lifeless state. The blade immediately halted in the rocks, paying no heed to Inuyasha and the girl in his arms. Then it happened. There was a pop and InuYasha felt his shoulder give way under the immense pressure of stopping. He began shaking with the effort to hold both him and Kagome in place and soon he could do nothing more than let go.

_I'm sorry, Kagome. I've let you down._

He brought her close to him and, with much pain, brought his right arm around the girl's tiny waist and cradled her head with his left while they fell. He rotated through the air, placing himself beneath her to protect her from the impact of the fall. He shuddered as the pain in his right shoulder became overwhelming and soon he felt his left shin and ankle screaming in agony from their part in slowing the duo's descent. His vision became less and less clear and he felt his claws shrinking to nails, his fangs to normal human teeth. He took a shaky breath as he resigned to his human transformation and prayed to the gods that he could save Kagome's life. He didn't know whether they had fallen feet, inches or even miles when at long last he hit a pond, resigned himself to his pain and passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I forgot it in the last one, so here goes: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the manga's/anime's character. I only own this plot.

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She groaned and let her eyes flutter open. It was dark outside, although it couldn't have been much past dusk.

_I…I'm alive? I'm alive! Then Inuyasha saved me! Where…Where is he?_

She surveyed her surroundings, all while keeping her eyes peeled for Inuyasha's bright red attire, and saw a few tall trees and tall reeds. She listened closely and heard a chorus of toads nearby. There was a soft swish and shallow splashes that signaled nearby fish swimming a little too close to the surface. She tried to get up, but she found herself restricted.

_I'm…in water. Is it a lake? And why can't I move? Am I tangled in nearby growth?_

She scooted her arms beneath her and began to push herself upwards when she heard a groan of protest and the ground beneath her shifted roughly. She stopped and felt the pit of her stomach drop out from under her in fear.

_Oh no. Please. Please don't let it be…_

"Inu…Inuyasha?"

There was no movement. There was no response, but in her heart of hearts, she knew it was him. She sucked in a deep breath and looked down at the surface supporting her. It was InuYasha.

His face was pale and his eye lids drooped heavily over what usually were heavenly amber orbs. His haori was soaked through with water, although it was clear to Kagome that there was some blood that had soaked into it recently as well. She reached behind her and picked his arm off of her back. His face immediately contorted in pain, but it was short lived as his head rolled sideways and his black bangs hid it from view.

_Inuyasha, what happened to you?_

That's when it hit her. His hair was black. Black! Could it really be the night of the new moon already?

Had she realized how intimately Inuyasha had been holding her as they both laid there, she probably would have blushed. However, with her beloved half blood lying beneath her, unconscious and in pain, nothing except for helping him crossed the priestess's mind. She skillfully rolled off of him without causing him any discomfort and kneeled beside him.

"Inuyasha. Inu-chan. Please. Please open your eyes. Please…please," she pleaded with an audience that wasn't tangibly there.

She buried her face into the crook of his neck and took in the scent of his black hair. It was full of earth, pine and, in his human state, there was a certain scent of mortality. She didn't realize it, but she wept for him. She wept because he had sacrificed his well being for hers.

_Inuyasha, why did you do it? Please, don't let this have been in vain!_

She pulled away from the hanyou-now-turned-human and cautiously put her hand on the side of his face. It was cool and clammy to the touch.

"Inuyasha, please. Wake up. Just wake up."

"K-kagome. Why…Why are you…ah!"

She looked at him and caught a glimpse of deep brown before his eyes snapped shut in pain.

"Inuyasha, you're hurt."

"Don't remind me."

"We need to get you out of the water. We need to get you out of the open."

His face twisted in pain and he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding before he spoke.

"I know. Kagome, I'm going to need your help. I-ah-I don't think I can walk on my own."

"Inuyasha, why? Why did you--"

He lifted his left hand slowly and put it to her lips to silence her. He looked up at her and his eyes held compassion, but there was more. His eyes were filled with love.

Kagome smiled a bit and he let his hand come away from her mouth and he put his hand on her shoulder. She watched as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was about to do.

"Don't move. No matter what you hear, don't move."

She nodded at him and he began to sit up. His right shoulder jostled and he cried out, but still he continued to raise his water soaked body off the ground. After what seemed like hours, Inuyasha collapsed into Kagome's arms. She supported him, both emotionally and physically, as best she could.

The next half hour passed without any conversation. Kagome had picked her wounded friend up from the ground and with one step on his left leg, he had nearly collapsed on its instability and cried out in pain. There was no doubt in Kagome's mind that his leg was broken.

Kagome offered herself as a crutch for Inuyasha and without hesitation, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and avoided using his left leg at all costs.

They wandered for a bit until a small abandoned hut came into view. Kagome changed their trajectory for the new found shelter, but Inuyasha held back from sheer exhaustion.

"Inu…Inu-chan. Please. We're almost there! You can make it!"

"Kagome. I need you to do something for me, alright?"

"What is it?"

"I need you to put my shoulder back in place."

What?!"

"Please. It's more painful to have it dangling by my side than it would be to be back in place. Please, Kagome?"

He dropped to a sitting position and his right arm rested lamely next to him. His face was pleading, but she didn't know if she could bring herself to hurt him. She bit her lip and slowly kneeled next to him.

"You know this is going to hurt, right?"

He didn't respond. Instead, he searched the ground for a nearby stick and popped it in his mouth and bit down hard. He nodded at her and looked away from his right arm. Her hand twitched as she neared him.

_Get yourself together Kagome. You've seen this done plenty of times on TV. Just hold it out straight and pull!_

She gingerly grabbed his arm and slowly began to raise it. She heard a growl rise in his throat, but he didn't budge.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and without another moment's hesitation, she jerked his arm forward and heard a grinding click, signaling the joint was back in place.

The stick in his mouth broke in two and as soon as Kagome let go, he was cradling his arm with a whimper caught in his throat. His body was shaking and his eyes were brimming with tears that he knew he'd never shed, especially not in front of Kagome.

She leaned closer to him and hugged him, careful not to jar his shoulder after she had so violently put it back into place.

"Thank you…enh…Kagome."

A few more minutes passed, and Inuyasha stayed in Kagome's warm arms all through, before the duo resumed their trek to the hut in the distance. It was a slow journey and even Inuyasha knew it was going to be an extremely long night once they were safely inside.


	3. Chapter 3

Every inch of his body thrummed with some kind of dull ache, although it was overshadowed by the pain tearing through his now fixed shoulder and left ankle.

His legs ached from over-exerting himself in today's battle for the jewel shard. His arms ached from wielding the tetsusaiga. His head ached from the blow he sustained from a rock when he landed in the pond. His heart ached, as it often did regardless of his more emotional human form, for the miko on the other side of the room.

He shifted slightly, adjusting his back to fit more smoothly against the faded, flimsy wall behind him. Once Kagome had helped him to his current position and started her hunt around the hut for anything useful, Inuyasha had quickly opted to cradle his right arm in his left to keep his ragged breathing from further jostling his shoulder. He was currently trying to find a comfortable position to rest in without moving his left leg from its straightened stance on the ground.

It wasn't long before his thoughts strayed to stave off the familiar jolts that ran through his body. He thought of the battle and the way the old cherry tree had been able to project a tangible she demon to pester him. He marveled at how it was the same she demon that was made entirely out of leaves. He thought of his rapid descent down a rock wall earlier in the day. He thought of the way Kagome's hair had smelled as he held her close during their free fall. He thought of the way her eyes shone when she was happy and how her smile warmed everyone in her presence. He thought of how he would irritate her, even to the point of a warranted "sit", just to see her angry.

He shook his head a bit and redirected his thoughts to his sword.

He wanted to get up and retrieve his tetsusaiga from the rock wall where he knew it was still embedded. His vulnerable condition was only amplified by the lack of his blade. However, even in his hanyou state, he knew it would take more than a day or two for his leg to heal enough for him to walk steadily, let alone try to scale a cliff.

He gritted his teeth and shifted his head forward to hide his eyes from Kagome as she approached him with what seemed to be a few tattered sheets and a blanket from some other corner of the hut. One of the things he hated even more than transforming into a human was letting Kagome see that he was troubled.

He felt her kneel within a few inches of his leg.

"Alright there, Inuyasha?"

He shifted his gaze up to her startling blue eyes. Fortunately, his face didn't falter and give away his pain or his true feelings for the girl before him.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'll manage."

"You're lying to me aren't you?"

"Now why would I do something like…OW! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"

_Stupid wench. Can't she see I'm trying hard enough as it is to keep my pain under control?_

Kagome sighed and removed her hand from his ankle. She had barely touched it to begin with! She shook her head at him while she bit and tore the sheets that she had discovered in a chest at the opposite end of the room. She had always marveled at how incredibly stubborn Inuyasha could be; even when he was a human, he never wanted to let her see that he was in pain or going through a difficult time emotionally.

_I guess I would be too if I grew up as an outcast from both the world of demons and the world of humans…_

"Sorry," she muttered and separated a few of the wide strips of fabric from the pile that had accumulated on the floor next to her.

She shifted her weight until she had turned her body towards his injured ankle and looked at Inuyasha pleadingly.

"What?"

"Well, I need to pull your pant leg up so I can bind your ankle with these strips of cloth and these straight sticks I found, ok?"

Inuyasha only nodded in response. Inwardly, he was preparing himself for some discomfort and his only outward symptom was a harsh swallow that broke the silence in the room.

She eased his pant leg up, trying not to cause her friend any more pain. He hissed a bit as the tighter part of his pants, usually around his ankle, worked its way upward and squeezed itself around Inuyasha's very swollen and bruised ankle. With a few minutes of working, Kagome had managed to get the cloth far enough away from her target and went about examining his ankle.

"Inuyasha, this is going to hurt, but I need to move your ank-"

"Just do what you gotta do and get it over with…"

She grimaced and lightly pressed on a rather prominent purple bruise on the top of his ankle. She felt him shudder and watched as his lips pursed tightly together and a groan caught in his throat. Supporting his calf, she raised his leg and rested the bottom of his foot against her shoulder.

"Push against me."

"Kagome, I-"

"Its going to hurt, but I need to feel how much damage you did! Now push against my shoulder!"

He felt her fingers go lightly to the top and sides of his ankle. It was tender, but the softness of her fingers felt like a caress against the painful joint. He took a deep breath and began to push against her shoulder.

Inuyasha tried as hard as he could to keep from crying out as he felt pressure rapidly building in his ankle. He looked up and caught Kagome's blue eyes staring into his chocolate brown one's with concern and something more that he couldn't discern. It looked like….love. His breath caught in his chest with the simple notion and he forgot about the task at hand.

Kagome watched as he gingerly began to press the bottom of his foot into her. She also noted that he had stopped in his tracks when her gaze had met his. A blush crept silently over her cheeks, but she shrugged it off and brought her attention back to her little test.

She knew he was being earnest in his efforts, but she also knew that he was keeping a lot of the force in his knee instead of in his ankle. She shifted forward a bit to press against his foot. Instantaneously, an electric shock of pain jumped from his ankle to his face. Her heart leapt out to him when he cried out in both shock and pain.

Her fingers carefully prodded and pressed and she gasped as she felt an unusual bump under the surface. It felt jagged. She was positive that it was broken.

He caught her gaze again. He was angry that she had surprised him like that, but he was not ready for what came next. He heard a soft pop, very similar to the one that he had heard when the pain first began in his ankle and it felt like fire had burned into his bone. Inuyasha's eyes grew as large as saucers and the color drained from his face. He never felt the clammy sweat that was breaking out over his entire body as a yelp of pain escaped his lips.

"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha," cooed Kagome between small gulps that were keeping her from tears for his pain, "I had to set the bone in place. I'm so sorry."

She watched him nod, acknowledging and accepting her plea for a pardon. She watched as his eyes glazed over and a single bead of sweat ran down his face.

_Why did I have to leave my backpack on the battle field? I could've given him something for his pain!_

He took slow, calming breaths to steady his racing heart, but he still felt wave after wave of fire run through his ankle. He watched as Kagome laid a few strips of the stained fabric on the floor where his foot once rested. He watched, his brain half in a fog as, as she lowered his ankle on to the floor, fixed the two sturdy sticks to either side of his ankle and tightly tied them into place around his ankle. It was strange, but he felt the pain subsiding already.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yea, Kagome?"

His tone was softer than usual, even for his human form.

"I'm sorry."

"For helping me?"

"For hurting you," she whispered and averted her eyes.

"You didn't hurt me. You helped me."

The two sat in silence for a bit. Neither felt like sleeping, although neither had anything to say.

To Inuyasha's dulled eyes, it appeared as if Kagome was idly playing with a larger scrap of the remaining cloth, until she drew near. He watched as she looped the fabric around his neck and very carefully placed his heavy right arm in a pocket of the fabric. Kagome had fashioned him a sling.

"Is there anything else I can do to ease your pain, Inuyasha?"

He merely shook his head and felt his physical exertion from earlier in the day starting to take its toll. He blinked a bit and watched as Kagome gave Inuyasha the blanket she had found in the chest earlier in the evening and made to stand and leave his side. He quickly grabbed his wrist with his left hand.

"Kagome?"

It was barely a whisper and the miko strained to hear.

"Hmm?"

She turned towards him, dropping to her knees and leaned close to his mouth to hear his next words.

Instead of speaking, Inuyasha pulled her closer with his left hand and kissed her softly. A shiver ran up his spine in the brief, intimate contact.

_Did I really just kiss her?_

Both were left blushing as Kagome slowly pulled away. She turned her face away from him for a moment to hide the blush that was rapidly over taking her face.

_Did he really just kiss me?_

A few moments later, Kagome rested herself against the wall along side Inuyasha. She laid her legs out in front of her and coaxed the half demon to lay down on her lap.

He smiled a bit as his head rested comfortably on her thighs. He looked into her eyes and Kagome saw the same emotion that Inuyasha had fumbled to grasp earlier in the evening.

"Kagome?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

"I…I lo-"

His tongue stumbled over the words he was trying to say.

_C'mon Inuyasha, pull yourself together!_

"I love you."

Kagome's breath hitched in her throat and a smile slowly crept over her lips.

"I love you too, Inuyasha."

She smiled inwardly to herself and let her fingers run gently through his hair. It wasn't long until the boy fell asleep and Kagome took a turn at playing the protector.

She pondered a bit, sitting alone in the dark. She rested her head against the wall and wondered if Inuyasha would profess his love for her again once the sun had risen and his youkai senses returned along with the invisible barrier that he used to so carefully protect his heart.

With that final thought, she let her body succumb to its exhaustion and she joined Inuyasha in a dreamless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Sango's feet ached. She, Kirara, Shippo and Miroku had been out since before the sun had gone to sleep, searching for their companions. They hadn't rested after the fight. They hadn't paused to eat since dinner from the night before and the physical exhertion was starting to take its toll. They had worked in complete silence, each one too afraid that they would snap at another from their fatigue and anxiety over the sudden lack of Inuyasha and Kagome.

They worked slowly and found it tough to see their surroundings until Shippo had gone through the yellow backpack that Kagome left on the field. They searched now with the aid of a flashlight to cut the black drape of night air around them. The little bulb in the flashlight had also done a bit to raise their spirits. Their faces brightened a bit, both with the light and with the restored hope that they would see something to guide them to their friends. Miroku waved the trio back to the center of the clearing where the battle had raged and surveyed the surrounding with a quick glance before he pointed to Kirara then to the edge of the cliff and Sango, understanding his intent, nodded in agreement.

They had descended on the same path as Inuyasha and Kagome, but they used a controlled fall with the help of Kirara. It seemed to float slowly through their senses and they marveled at the strength their lost friends must've had to withstand the dizzying fall. Shippo clung to Sango's back, burying his face between her shoulder blades. Sango could feel his face rubbing on the old scar that she had been given by her brother's own weapon and a small piece of her inside quavered. She didn't shake off the little youkai, however, but felt a small bit of determination growing within herself that was determined to protect the kitsune.

Their first flight had turned up empty. There was no sign of a struggle, but fortunately there was no sign that either comrade had been killed by the jagged ledges that stuck out throughout the face of the cliff either.

Reaching the bottom, Miroku and Shippo clambered off of Kirara's back and resumed their scavenger hunt along the edge of a small basin of water with a make shift foundation of fallen rocks. Sango, however, couldn't shake the feeling that they had missed some clue hidden among the rocks looming ominously above her, the lecherous monk and the kitsune. She angled the flashlight back up along the craggy cliff and traced a trail a bit farther from their original path down the ledge. Something glistened back at her from about half way up.

"Kirara," she muttered, receiving a growl of recognition from the fire cat demon and they rose noiselessly into the air.

"Where are you going, Sango?" yelled a concerned little fox demon, not sure if the demon hunter was out of earshot just yet.

"I saw something up there. I'll be right back, Shippo. Help Miroku look for any clues down there, alright?"

She ushered Kirara forward without waiting for a response. She could hear the concern and tension in Shippo's voice and the demon hunter knew that he was worried for her own well being and afraid of what had happened to Inuyasha and Kagome. The thought lightened her heart a bit and she smiled a little as she rose and fell on Kirara's back.

There was no doubt in Sango's mind that the little kitsune was hard at work, searching for any shred of evidence of Kagome and Inuyasha, but the houshi was probably sitting cross legged in deep meditation trying to see a vision of their lost friends whereabouts from his spiritual power. It was either that or he was day dreaming about one of the young maiden's he had seen while traveling through nearby villages. Sango shook her head a bit and figured it was probably the latter of the two.

She flicked the flashlight upwards once again, remembering why she had chosen to take flight once more, and the same glistening object rested embedded in the rocks. She was getting closer, almost close enough to make out its shape. It seemed long and frail in the vastness of the wall surrounding it.

Kirara hovered parallel to the glittering object and Sango shone the light on it once more. She gasped, dropping the flashlight and heard a loud "kerploonk" as it landed in the water below.

Kirara inched closer and Sango's hand came to rest on the hilt of a very familiar, very distinguishable blade. Her heart sank into her chest as she seized the hilt firmly and ripped it from its rock sheath.

_If Inuyasha lost his sword in the rocks, then there is no doubt that they were here. Wait a second, they're left unguarded on the night of the full moon without the tetsusaiga!_

Placing the blade gignerly across her lap, Sango retreated back to her friends and dismounted Kirara as the fire cat reached the ground. There was a familiar burst of flame and a cheerful meowing chirp signaling to the others that Kirara was now the size of an ordinary house cat.

"Miroku," cooed Sango as she approached the monk who had, indeed, been meditating, and more likely daydreaming, while the others were digging for clues.

He opened one eye and gave her a sideways glance. His stomach lurched as his eyes came to rest on the tetsusaiga. He suddenly felt guilty for thinking of the pretty young maiden with the long brown hair and the soft green eyes in the village they had passed earlier in the week.

"Where…Where did you find that?"

"It was embedded in the rocks over there," Sango responded as she pointed vaguely into the distance from which she had returned.

"This does not bode well, you know."

"I know."

"But," continued the houshi rising to his feet, "it does mean that Inuyasha was here and if the tetsusaiga was found buried in the rock wall, he must have fallen into the pond."

"Right, but…"

Sango was brought to silence as the monk placed a hand on her hip and allowed it to dip further over her buttocks.

She stiffened immediately and a look of sheer horror came over her face; within seconds, her eyes shifted to the perverted holy man and if looks could kill, Miroku wouldn't have stood a chance.

Shippo heard a distinct THWACK as Sango's hand came into contact with Miroku's cheek.

_Honestly, when will he learn?_

The little kitsune continued his way around the edge of the pond, scouring the water and inhaling deeply for any trace of either Inuyasha or Kagome. His clothes were becoming extremely damp with both perspiration and the chilled pond water around him. He shivered a bit and tripped over a root at the edge of the pond, falling face down on the dirt.

He grumbled and when he opened his eyes, he saw a swatch of red fabric that was undeniably fire rat fur. His hand flew out to the scrap and he jumped up and practically ran on top of the water to show Sango and Miroku what he had found.

Miroku watched as the orphan kitsune rushed to Sango's side and presented her with a piece of red fabric. A fixture of fear and delight flared in Sango's features and Miroku watched as she hugged Shippo close and told him he had done a good job.

The houshi inwardly sighed. What he wouldn't give for Sango to hug him like she did that demon child. He was falling for her and he knew it. He loved the way her demon hunter's out fit hugged her body. He loved the way her hair fell messily in her face after a particularly demanding battle. He even loved the way she'd slap him after he initiated intimate contact. It told him that she had deep morals and a strong will to preserve them. He smiled a bit to himself.

It was only a matter of convincing Sango that he wasn't a lecher through and through that kept him from pursuing her completely. It was a guise he used to protect his heart from breaking.

"Kirara!"

The cat transformed in a whirl wind of flame almost immediately. The trio climbed onto her back and Sango, having given the fire cat a good whiff of the fire rat fabric, urged Kirara forward and off into the night in search of the lost miko and half demon.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks so much for the great reviews guys! I really appreciate it!

I'm sure you know the drill from the other stories. I don't own Inuyasha...blah, blah, blah...my story line!

Enjoy!

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Inuyasha shifted in Kagome's lap. His hair smoothly slid over her legs, tickling her and waking her from her light, peaceful slumber. She blinked against the harsh darkness of the room and tried to bring his sleeping face into focus.

He had broken out in a cold sweat again. His eyes were squeezed shut with a vengeance. Even his nose wrinkled from a pain and fever that his body was struggling to fight. She wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief she had taken from her pocket earlier and bit her lip in concern.

The last time Inuyasha had laid in her lap had been the first time she watched him transform as the sun set and no moon came to take its place. She smiled a bit as she remembered how angry he had been when she saw his change with her own eyes. He had told her right then and there that he didn't trust anyone other than himself and that was how he had survived for so long. My how times changed.

She grimaced slightly as her thoughts wandered to his toe to toe battle with the spider head posing as a monk. He had lunged and fought to the best of his ability, but he had still been captured and bitten with a deadly dose of the venom invading his body in the process. She had never seen him so pale or in so much pain. He had talked to her all through the night.

That was the first and only time he had told her that she smelled nice. A pale blush rose on her cheeks and she made no effort to hide it in the dark hut. That was the night that she had earnestly fallen in love with the hanyou, but she still had her doubts about his affection.

She shook her head as she caressed his face and cleared her thoughts. She needed to find the origin of this fever. She hadn't seen an open wound on his body, so from where had this fever suddenly flared?

That's when she remembered the way some of the water had washed away from his body in a pink waterfall. She remembered thinking that there had been some blood leeching into the fire rat fur of his kimono. She thought back to the battle. The evil she-demon had barely laid a claw on him. There was no way that it could've been from the battle, right?

She closed her eyes in thought as the time line appeared before her eyes.

_Let's see. _

The demon had appeared with a flourish of wind tussling the evil tree's leaves.

_That's not it. _

There were harsh words exchanged. Sango and Kirara entered the fray. The hiraikotsu flew through the air and missed entirely as the demon rushed at Kagome.

_I know its there! I just need to look!_

Inuyasha unsheathed tetsusaiga and leaped in front of her. A flash of sunlight revealed that tetsusaiga had gone flying. Inuyasha had scooped her up and brought her back to the edge of the clearing to keep her safe.

_Almost there. I know it!_

Inuyasha used blades of blood to…

Kagome froze. Inuyasha could only use his blades of blood attack when his own blood had been spilled, but the demon hadn't touched him.

"Oh, Inuyasha, you didn't," she mumbled more to herself than to him.

She swept the bangs out of his face and a slightly more peaceful look seemed to follow in its wake. She smiled a bit and began her search for the self inflicted wound somewhere on his body.

She rationalized that it couldn't be anywhere near his legs or waist, because he hadn't crouched at anytime during the battle.

_So that only leaves his arms and shoulders…_

A soft rain began to fall and a flash of lightening danced its way through the clouds. Kagome had used the fleeting light to check Inuyasha's nails for any dried blood. Her suspicions were confirmed as the brief flash showed dark scarlet under the nails of his right hand. She knew that could only mean there was some kind of scratch on his left arm.

She fingered the hem of his sleeve and gently pulled it up. Another string of electricity bolted through the sky and Kagome saw a gash on his forearm beginning to weep with a mix of blood and puss. Silently, she prayed that the sun would rise soon and his hanyou blood would take care of the infection growing in the wound. She fixed his sleeve and pulled the blanket more tightly around Inuyasha. Despite the dampness of his brow, he was shivering.

A loud clap of thunder roared in the dark causing Kagome to jump a bit in surprise.

Inuyasha stirred. He slowly opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. His brain slowly registered the battle that led to his current position in the hut. He shivered and almost immediately, a cool hand reached out and rested itself on his cheek. He snuggled into it, savoring the way it calmed his nerves and took the heat out of his skin. His shoulder and ankle were still pulsating with a mild ache, dulled by his sleep, as he looked up and caught her eyes.

She smiled at him and whispered to him in the dark, "Are you feeling ok?"

"Yea. I'm alright."

His voice was rough with pain and fatigue, but he was compelled to smile back as she held his gaze, the curve of her lips never wavering. He wanted to talk to her, to distract himself from his discomfort and hurry along the rise of the morning sun. Most of all, he wanted to talk to her to comfort her and put her worries to rest.

"Do you remember the first time I watched you transform, Inuyasha?"

Her voice had grown stronger in order to be heard over the steadily increasing pound of the rain. She dabbed at his forehead, removing more perspiration as he chuckled. Her eyes glowed with mirth at his laughter.

"How can I forget? I was so angry with you and Shippo for seeing me…"

He trailed off, unable to bring himself to finish the sentence.

"What? Human?"

"No," he paused and swallowed to give himself the strength to say what he feared, "weak."

"Inuyasha. Being human doesn't mean that you're weak."

She sighed with frustration. He was always so hard on himself, so demeaning. It always pained her to watch his internal struggle. She always listened as he ranted and raved about wanting to become a full demon to increase his power, but it was times like this that she wasn't so sure he meant it. Sure, he complained that humans were weaker than youkai or even hanyou, but she could tell he enjoyed it when he could feel his emotions more clearly. She also knew it was more troubling to him to have lapses in memory from his youkai transformation than it was to have lapses in power during the night of the new moon. As much as he complained, he liked being a half demon much more than he let on.

"I didn't mean it like that you know," he stated flatly, interpreting her silence as feeling insulted.

"I'm not mad at you for saying it, Inu-chan. You don't have to play the tough guy act with me. Really. Its ok."

He blinked at her, slightly taken aback but also a bit shocked. He thought he had done a good job of disguising his contentment with being a mere half breed. He hated not fitting in to either world of humans or demons, but in the long run, it was exactly his misfit status that had brought him a high level of determination. It was his misfit status that gave him a feared respect among humans and less than a second glance from demons. In the end, it was his saving grace.

He opened his mouth to speak when a loud thud echoed through the small hut. A bit of dust and a few beetles fell from the rafters and it was obvious that someone had just landed on the roof. He sat up with relative ease. The only discomfort he felt was in his shoulder, which throbbed with a dull ache and had a gel like feeling from being disjointed earlier. He was happy that the sling Kagome had made for him was taking the weight of the limb instead of his shoulder.

Kagome's hands flew to his back to help support him, but he shrugged off her touch. It was obvious by the glint in his eye that he had heard the thud as well and interpreted the noise as a threat. A few beads of sweat dripped down the sides of his face as he struggled to get to his feet.

"Inuyasha, please…come back…here and rest," she struggled with her vocabulary to keep from uttering the dreaded "sit" which would only plant his face into the ground.

"No. I need to protect you. Something's out there."

He listened intently as foot steps were heard walking on the roof of the building containing the hidden couple. He listened and heard at least three distinct foot step patterns indicating three different individuals.

_Who could possibly know that we're here? Who could possibly know that its my time of weakness?_

There were a few soft splashes outside the door and Inuyasha limped heavily to stand in the door frame and keep Kagome safe. His ankle screamed with every step, but he ignored its wails and suppressed the cry that was growing in his own throat.

_She's my Kagome. You won't hurt her. Not if I have anything to do with it._

"I-Inu…Yasha…" whispered Kagome, fear striking her heart. If Inuyasha was attempting to walk on his broken ankle to stand in the door frame, then something was definitely wrong.

Inuyasha staggered back and fell roughly on his bottom as three large figures appeared just outside the door, mere inches away from his face, with a flash of lightening. Kagome ran to his side.

_If you're going down, I'm going down with you, Inuyasha._

Their hearts were pounding, perfectly in synch with one another as the figures stepped forward menacingly. Their footsteps falling heavily on the wood of the floor of the hut. Water dripped from their extremities. One of them held up a stick, ready to strike when a smaller figure, hidden in the large shadow of the other three, came forward.

"Fox Fire!"

The stick ignited with a blue flame.

"Shippo?" queried a shaking Kagome. The fire light was blinding compared to the dark that her eyes had grown accustomed. However, it was clear that the faces of Shippo, Sango, Miroku and Kirara were there and it wasn't an illusion.

"Kagome!" cried the kitsune and leapt to her side, hugging her tightly.

"Its good to see you too little one."

"Keh. Speak for yourself Kagome," piped in Inuyasha, trying to cover up his fear that was obvious only moments ago.

A cheerful reunion took place for the next few minutes and Kagome was presented with her back pack. She was ecstatic and pulled out snacks for the others before she helped herself to the last bag of potato chips. She pulled out a few extra blankets and a pillow as she munched the crunchy treats.

She had to persuade Shippo to relinquish his pillow for the sake of Inuyasha's comfort. Shippo finally conceded, with a lollipop securely in his mouth, as Kagome placed the soft cushion beneath Inuyasha's ankle to give it some support.

Feeling happy, Shippo snuggled into Kirara's warmth and quickly fell asleep. The lollipop fell from his lips, leaving a blue stain of sugar. Sango and Miroku rested their backs against the wall next to the doorframe. It was their turn to play the protector for everyone's sake.

Inuyasha rested his head once again in Kagome's lap and fell fast asleep. He knew that Kagome would be protected now, even if he was unable to do it himself. Kagome, feeling that her duty as protector had been lifted, too nodded off. Her hand was embedded lovingly in Inuyasha's ebony hair.

Unbeknownst to everyone in the room, Sango and Miroku sat up all night. Their only form of communication was through the hand that Sango allowed Miroku to keep in his grip to soothe her nerves and give her some courage.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that already...

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Inuyasha's nose twitched. There were faint aroma's surrounding him. There was the distinct smell of acorn's and grass tainted with something sweet that his nose didn't recognize. That was no doubt the kitsune child with his unfinished lollipop. He inhaled deeply and a strange blend of ash and almond; rosemary and ink; and daffodils, dirt and vanilla wafted into his awareness.

_The brat, the cat, the lecher and the huntress are all here still, huh?_

Soon, however, the rich aroma of lavender and lilacs consumed all of Inuyasha. He felt his heart beat more rapidly and his head swam in ecstasy. His skin suddenly burned with energy and he felt energy building in a pit in his stomach. He let out a soft growl to bring himself back to reality. He couldn't believe what a glimmer of the miko's scent could do to his body!

A small smirk curled on his lips as he recalled the night he had first transformed and revealed to Kagome that he enjoyed her scent. He remembered the fear floating through his veins that night as he thought the poison would bring his life to an abrupt end. He wanted to tell Kagome how special he was to him, but before he had a chance, sleep engulfed him and the morning light came, transforming him into a hanyou once more. He had dropped the matter when he survived the night, but he wish he hadn't let it go so quickly. Her scent was heavenly.

His ears twitched atop his head. He could hear the footsteps of ants that had made their home beneath the hut. He heard a small chirrup as a grasshopper launched itself from a blade of grass and inadvertently began a small symphony of his own. A sweet duet drifted to his ears and two swallows sang of their undying love for each other. He savored the sweet melody that came to his ears. He felt small compared to the great message that it held. A small prayer leaked from his heart and seeped into his mind and he found himself snuggling into Kagome's lap a bit deeper to console himself.

_Today's the day. I have to tell her, especially after how carefully she tended to me last night. I can't back down anymore._

Inuyasha opened his amber eyes and took a gander at the room in which he had spent the night recovering. There was a small chest in the far corner, undoubtedly where Kagome had discovered the old sheets, but no other furnishings of which to speak. The kitsune and fire cat were no where in sight. However, Inuyasha could hear splashing outside of the hut and he knew Kirara was entertaining the young demon to give the others some time to rest.

Inuyasha turned his attention back to the small hut that had protected him and the others from the storm last night. The walls were riddled with holes and brown stains that Inuyasha's olfactory senses distinguished as the tangy, metallic scent of blood. There were no windows, but there was a rather large hole where two walls met the ceiling. It appeared to Inuyasha that some kind of demon, no doubt a weasel demon judging by the size of the hole, had crawled in to the hut and snacked upon the previous tenants.

The dog hanyou pulled himself away from Kagome's lap and sat up, the tug around his neck alerted him to the weight of his arm that still rested in the sling. He felt no more than a faint ache in his shoulder now, as if he had done nothing more than pulled tetsusaiga a bit too roughly from his sheath and sprained a muscle. He carefully pulled his arm out of the worn fabric and removed it from around his neck. Other than a small tug, his shoulder was back to normal. He smiled a bit, thanking the youkai part of his blood for helping him heal faster.

"Its about time you woke up," said an exhausted monk, startling Inuyasha from his thoughts.

"Keh. I needed the rest Miroku and you know it just as well as I do, even though I hate to admit it."

"Relax. I meant nothing by it."

Inuyasha's face contorted into a wicked smile as he carefully rose to his feet, cautiously testing his broken ankle. A few steps indicated that he needed a few more days for the joint to knit back together, but he swallowed his pain and limped to the open doorway. His eyes were greeted by the lush grass and the fertile forest on the horizon before he turned his attention to Miroku.

"So what do you think you're doing with Sango there, eh?"

A single bead of sweat rolled down Miroku's forehead and his grip around the demon huntress's waist tightened. His anxiety was written in the tension in his muscles. However, his face never changed, except for a pale pink hue that invaded his cheeks and ears.

"Lady Sango and I are…um. Well what I mean to say is…"

"Miroku and I are courting, Inuyasha," piped in an exhausted demon hunter as she pulled out of the monks embrace and took his hand instead.

Inuyasha blinked, caught completely off guard.

"You mean to tell me that you find the man attractive, Sango? I thought you thought he was nothing but an insolent pervert!"

Sango's face flushed and her grip on the monk's hand tightened. Never did she think that she would be interrogated by Inuyasha. She paused for a bit before she opened her mouth to explain herself.

"Well, I did think that. But Miroku and I got to talking last night after everyone else had nodded off," she began, unsure of herself.

"That's right. I had realized some time ago that I had always treated Lady Sango a bit differently. I had never asked her to bear my children…"

"Miroku," Sango chimed, her voice steady and even.

"…and I had never openly flirted with her as I did the other village girls…"

"Miroku," echoed again from her lips a bit firmer this time. She had closed her eyes in anger and squeezed his hand furiously out of jealousy.

Miroku's eyes opened widely, feeling his prayer beads digging into his hand under the pressure of Sango's grip.

"Uh! What I mean to say is that I treated Sango differently and up until recently, I thought it was because I wasn't attracted to her. Now I realize it was because I was falling for her and I was afraid I'd push her away."

Miroku's faint blush deepened tremendously having confessed his feelings aloud for the second time that morning.

He had always been so afraid to have his heart broken, that he had resisted falling in love with Sango for quite some time. However, he couldn't deny himself the happiness that would come with being with her and last night, he had finally admitted his feelings and found that Sango felt the same. He felt Sango's grip lessen in intensity, but he never looked up at his hanyou friend's face. Instead he turned to Sango and smiled.

Inuyasha's face blossomed with admiration for the man in front of him. He could never see himself proclaiming his love in front of someone else the way Miroku had. He turned his attention back to the beautiful sunrise and lost himself in thought.

"Thinking of Lady Kagome, huh?"

Inuyasha turned around fast, ready to deny everything when he felt a catch in his heart. If he denied it now, he'd never have the courage to say anything to Kagome. If he denied it now, he'd never be able to live with himself again.

He settled for ignoring Miroku's inquiry completely, turned his attention back to the woman he loved and limped to her side.

A smile spread on Miroku's lips.

_At least he's not denying it anymore._

Almost as if cued by Inuyasha's return, Kagome began to stir. She inhaled slowly and stretched her arms above her head, exposing a bit of her flat tummy. Inuyasha hurried to hide his blush and turned his face away from her as her eyes came to rest on his figure.

"Good morning, Inuyasha."

He turned to her, smiling.

"Good morning, Kagome."

Inuyasha caught Sango's gaze briefly. She was encouraging him to proceed with his plan. She wanted him to reveal his heart. She was boosting his confidence from across the room.

"Uh, Kagome?" Inuyasha began slowly. His voice was coarse with a fear that was soon lost as her deep pools of blue met his orbs of amber.

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go take a walk. There's beautiful sunrise this morning."

She smiled and felt a something catch in her chest. She was filled with a nervous energy and overcome with hope.

_Maybe he really meant what he said last night after all!_

"Okay, Inuyasha."

She rose to her feet and began to walk when Inuyasha stopped her. A blush rose to both of their faces as he took her hand and began limping next to her, out the door.

"I hope he knows what he's doing," said the monk quietly.

"I'm sure he does Miroku. I just hope he has the courage to do it this time."

Miroku nodded a bit and gazed lovingly into Sango's hazel eyes. Butterflies floated through his stomach, sending his mind ending into a confused frenzy. He had already told Sango how he felt, but in some part of him, it felt unreal.

He had always admired the way the sun glinted off of her dark brown tresses. He adored her smile when Shippo leapt into her arms. He loved the feel of her hand against his face, even it was only felt in the sharp pain of her slap. He was just happy to be able to hold her hand whenever he felt the need.

"Sango?"

"Miroku?"

"Can I…I…"

He gulped, momentarily losing the ability to speak and brought his gaze away from hers.

_I can't do it. Its too soon. Its…_

His thoughts were cut short as Sango lifted his chin, coaxing his eyes to hers once more. There was a fiery glow of warmth that made him melt and inspired courage.

"Would it be alright if I kissed you, Sango?"

Instead of answering him with words, Sango brought her face closer to him. She could feel his breath on her lips as he closed the distance between them. It was the sweetest kiss either one had ever tasted.

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They had walked for a few minutes until Inuyasha had stopped to rest, settling on a fallen log near babbling stream. His feet were damp from the rain of last night mingling with the dew of the early morning. He felt his stomach tying itself in knots in an attempt to catch the gathering of butterflies that had taken up residence in his gut as well. He watched the pink and orange sky as Kagome sat next to him and he tried to draw strength from her scent.

"Wow, the sun is beautiful this morning, Inuyasha! It's also good to see you walking today. Has your ankle healed already?"

"No. That'll take a few more days at the least. I just don't want to be a burden to you anymore."

"You could never be a burden to me."

A blush crossed her face as she looked into his eyes.

_Now's my chance while she's caught up in her own embarrassment._

"Kagome, there's something I need to tell you and please, don't interrupt me ok?"

She only nodded in response.

_Where is he going with this?_

_Alright, here I go, Kagome._

"Last night, when you were helping me, I realized something. I realized that I had taken you for granted."

"Inuyasha…"

He ignored her plea for intervention not wanting to lose his courage.

"I realized that over the few months that we've known each other, I haven't always been kind to you and I don't think there's enough words to say how sorry I am for that. We've been through a lot together. More than anything I ever went through with Kikyo."

He watched as a look of hurt registered in his hers as the deceased priestess's name rolled off his tongue. He ignored the urge to stop there and fix what he had said and chose instead to barrel forward.

"I realized last night that you've always seen me for who I am, and I mean truly for who I am. You've never drawn away from me because I'm a half breed. You've never asked me to become something I'm not. You understand that this is who I am."

He paused trying to find his footing in an emotional thick swamp of words.

I realized last night as I fell over the edge of the cliff that I was willing to do anything it took to protect you. I was willing to put my life in danger and cast it away if it meant that you would live in my memory."

"Inu-"

He placed a finger on her lips to silence her. The soft skin beneath his fingers drove him insane with the desire to feel her lips them against his own.

"Kagome, I realized as I had fallen twice that night. I had fallen over the edge of that God damn cliff, but I had also…"

_Suck it up, Inuyasha!_

Inuyasha gulped and slowly pulled his finger away from her lips.

"I had fallen for you as well. I-I love you, Kagome."

Her mouth dropped open in shock.

_He's telling me this as a half demon?_

A flicker of doubt ran surged through his body.

_Oh no, has she changed her mind already?_

"In-Inuyasha. I think I know what you mean. I love you too."

She looked away in embarrassment, but brought her eyes back to his quickly. She knew she would have to be a bit forward if this conversation were to ever go farther.

She inched herself closer to him on the log and turned to face him. Her hand went to his shoulder and she watched as he gulped a bit.

_I can't believe this is happening. I've waited so long to tell her, but I never thought it would work in my favor._

He felt his heart doing somersaults and all sorts of acrobatics as her hand came to rest on his shoulder. He knew where she wanted this to go and he decided to take the lead and ease there himself. Before she had a chance to pull away, she scooped her up and brought her close to his body in a warm and meaningful embrace.

_Kami, she smells so good!_

Kagome's mind reeled with excitement. Her heart was finally winning what had always wanted deep down and she couldn't believe it was happening. She gave herself over to the rush of adrenaline as Inuyasha slowly pulled away from her and his face crept towards hers.

_Is he going to kiss me?_

She closed her eyes and an electric shock of excitement ran through her entire being as his lips met hers cautiously and with shyness. Even with gentle coaxing from her own lips, he wouldn't open up. He just to shy.

He pulled away from her, a touch of pink on his cheeks and his lips slightly swollen from the contact. However, he couldn't disguise his happiness. It was written in his eyes and it curled on his lips. Kagome couldn't be happier for him and she was certainly happy that she had finally reached Inuyasha on an emotional level.

He nuzzled her neck gently before he spoke again.

"I really and truly love you, Kagome."

"I love you too, Inuyasha. I think I always have."

Inuyasha drew her close to him, craving the feel of his love against his body, as the sun drew away from the ground and hailed a new day and a new beginning.

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A/N: Sadly, this is the end of my story! I'll probably come up with a sequel or maybe something new altogether. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thanks!


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